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ESSENCE.com Straight Talk: On The Art of Hair Misting

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Have you ever experienced dehydrated, brittle hair from the hot sun? I’ve had my share of bad summer hair days. But over the years, I’ve developed a simple solution that has helped to bring my hair back to life. It’s simple: I mist my hair throughout the day for a boost in hydration. Not only does this trick help in re-moisturizing my hair, it also helps to re-fresh my style so that it remains vibrant throughout the day, and it also provides shine.

Grab a Spray Bottle

I use a couple simple liquid solutions to combat dryness in the summer months. First, I make sure I have my trusty spray bottle, preferably in a travel size so that it’s portable in my handbag wherever I go. My go-to mixture is 20-25% Glycerin with 3-4 parts distilled water to dilute it. Distilled water is the best for healthier hair, as there are no chlorine or calcium/mineral deposits in it as opposed to hard water.

Add Aloe Vera Juice

Sometimes I’ll add a little bit of 100% aloe vera juice for a little kick in hydration. I usually add approximately ¼ cup of aloe vera juice to my glycerin and distilled water mixture. The mixture has superb moisturizing properties jam-packed with nutrients to promote healthier hair and scalp. I preserve my mixtures by storing them in my fridge. The added bonus is that the cool temp helps to close my cuticles too. For dry summer months, misting is the way to go!

Add Glycerin

Glycerin is a potent humectant that draws moisture from the air into the hair. It’s amazing at softening and hydrating my dry thirsty hair that has been scorched from the sun. I spray this combination in my roots, my ends and all throughout my hair. But, I don’t saturate my hair with it; I just spray enough to lightly moisten it so that my hair is slightly damp. I’ll mist my hair while it’s loose hanging down, or while it’s in a style. I mist as often as once or twice daily, depending on how dry and hot the weather has been. Always listen to your hair.